Endovascular repair of diffuse atherosclerotic occlusive disease using stented grafts

Minimally invasive techniques have greatly influenced the practice of surgery in the past two decades, especially the vascular surgical specialty. Current technological advances and refinements have allowed for the application of less invasive or percutaneous endovascular techniques to the treatment of arterial aneurysms and peripheral vascular occlusive disease. While balloon angioplasty and stenting for occlusive disease have proven successful in certain vascular beds (such as common iliac arteries), infrainguinal results are generally less impressive. This paper reviews the results of the application of covered stent-grafts to peripheral arterial occlusive disease, both at the aortoiliac and infrainguinal anatomical levels. The review includes the results of iliac artery stented graft placement utilizing a combined open surgical and endovascular technique at Mount Sinai Medical Center.